When he started making, he didn't know how, he had never held a tool, but ... You can try, can't you? When you don't know anything, you just go and get help. Neighbour, joiner Andrej Irgl, taught him about types of wood. A few houses down the road, he walked up to a blacksmith who was teaching him metalworking.
When the products for his son were finished, Aleš started to think that he really enjoyed working on them, relaxing and how good it feels to create something with your own hands.
Since he had always liked old objects, of which there were many in his neighbourhood, the way forward was clear: He started making furniture and lighting from old wood and discarded machinery. "Old objects have character. They used to pay a lot of attention to detail. It wasn't just about the functionality of the product, as it is today, but they also paid a lot of attention to the look. Everything was done aesthetically, with feeling ..." His eyes sparkle as he explains this, and his heart probably glows even more, because he was spontaneously drawn to this style of furniture making.
When you feel that passion, that's when you know it's it. This is what you're going to do. Or else - you can't imagine not doing it.
"You have nothing, just a pile of old iron and some discarded wood. And from that nothing you make something extraordinary, something with character, with soul. Something beautiful..." And the glow in his eyes continues to shine and shines even brighter.
He felt his extraordinary creativity and his desire to create not only for himself, but also for others. First, a colleague wanted chandeliers. Then a friend wanted an unusual shelf. Then came an order for a desk... If you're going into business, you need a name. Let it be: Abel von Rust. Character. Story. Unique rustic and industrial furniture that silently tells stories of times gone by.
"I am a person who loves to create, to dream, to think, to observe and to marvel at the beauty of forgotten and abandoned objects that still have a lot of life left in them and can, with my help, come back to life again, maybe even live forever. I transfer my ideas to materials of all kinds and shapes, preferably those lying forgotten in barns, sheds and cellars."
The more he worked, the more people came to him to have something similar. Each piece is unique. Some are made to order, but he prefers to make pieces inspired by the freedom of his own creativity.
He will always be a boutique maker, but one day he would like to have his own shop where he can sell products that he makes entirely from his own creativity.
Aleš's story is a story of how he can find his passion at any time, regardless of his previous knowledge and opportunities. He finds what he enjoys immensely and is clearly given the talent to combine the two into extraordinary results. How to find it? "Just keep trying, as long as you find it. Each one of us has a talent that we excel at. Whether it's handiwork, or relationships, or some intellect... everyone has something in them. Just find it. I am lucky to have found it in my 30s. I could have missed it ... but it's worth trying."
But how do you know it's the right one? "You will feel it. It's hard to describe, but you hold something in your hands and you immediately feel that it makes you happy, that it brings positive feelings. Then you have to persevere. Because at the start, nothing comes easy, easy and for millions. A lot of things have to be done for fun, for good humour. That's part of growing and developing. It's also about trying different things, and that's how you find the right thing in the end."
